


The Captain's Widow

by keerawa



Category: Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms, Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
Genre: Gen, Period-Typical Sexism, Watson's Woes July Writing Prompts 2015
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-15
Updated: 2015-07-15
Packaged: 2018-04-09 13:35:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4350773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keerawa/pseuds/keerawa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A much-needed lesson on the proper treatment of the fairer sex.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Captain's Widow

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [](http://watsons-woes.livejournal.com/profile)[watsons_woes](http://watsons-woes.livejournal.com/) JWP 2015 Prompt #15: That Old Saying. I had two different ideas, and the day off, so I decided to write them both! Unbeta'd.

On the way home, Watson took Holmes to task. "I say, Holmes, you really must learn some delicacy when dealing with the fairer sex, particularly those in deep mourning. The way that you grabbed that woman's hand with no warning, it's no wonder she fainted dead away."

Holmes inspected him from across the carriage. "I have found you an excellent judge of men's character," he said.

Watson nodded graciously, pleased at the compliment.

"However," Holmes continued, "your good sense seems to desert you entirely when the subject of your observations is a woman. You allow your prejudices to blind you to the facts. A wealthy husband away at sea for ten months out of the year, leaving his wife free to enjoy the diverse pleasures of the city? An ideal situation for an attractive young woman. However, when that husband is invalided home, in need of constant care, her situation has become far less desirable. And so Mrs Lewis took steps to alter her circumstances."

"Surely not, Holmes," Watson said, recalling the delicate young woman wearing widow's weeds, calling for tea in a voice rough with tears, barely able to make eye contact with the policemen in her home. "That poor thing wouldn't say boo to a goose."

"Perhaps not, but she was capable of plotting Captain Lewis's murder. The wedding band that she claims was cruelly ripped from her hand by the brute that killed her husband left no mark on her flesh. After six years of marriage, the only possible conclusion is that she never wore the ring when her husband was away at sea. It, along with the other items that were stolen from the household last night, would provide her with financial independence from her brother-in-law, once he inherits the estate."

"Excellent work, Holmes. I never would have thought to check her hands."

Holmes smiled slightly, the praise expected but welcome. 

"A terrible thing, that a captain should survive wounds sustained in Her Majesty's service, only to be murdered in his bed by his own wife. However, I cannot imagine that she carried out the deed herself," Watson said uncertainly, unable to associate the violence of the act with the petite beauty they had met today.

"No, it was her lover who carried out the plan. I'm certain she was far from discreet in her assignations. Any servant of the Lewis household should be able to give us a description of him, perhaps even a name. We only need find one who bears more loyalty to the dead captain than to his living widow; enough so as to overlook the effect such a scandal might have on their prospects. The butler, perhaps? He's old enough to have been employed long before the captain's marriage."

Watson shook his head. "I think we ought to start in the stables. I can't see her riding to hounds."

Holmes nodded. "A fine suggestion, Watson. We shall begin our interviews there tomorrow." With that he settled back into his seat, eyes distant as he considered the case.


End file.
